Trump admin live updates: Dems react to Hegseth discussing Yemen strike in 2nd chat

Amid the Trump administration's multibillion-dollar freeze on funding to Harvard University, Education Sec. Linda McMahon joined ABC News Live on Wednesday to say the decision was made as a "civil rights protection."

"Let's make sure that we're not mischaracterizing what's going on at Harvard in terms of putting a thumb against free speech. That is not it at all. We are talking about civil rights protection," McMahon said of the administration's decision. "We are talking about antisemitism that has been on the Harvard campus for years."

The Trump administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced on Monday it would withhold $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value to the institution.

Ahead of the funding freeze, Harvard President Alan Garber had said the university is committed to fighting antisemitism and to making changes to create a welcoming environment.

Among Trump's demands that the university rejected were ending its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, adopting merit-based admissions and cooperate with immigration authorities.

McMahon said the administration is open to "listening and negotiating" with Harvard about the president's demands, but added, "In the meantime, that $2.2 billion will stay frozen."

-ABC News' Edna Rutland

During last month's meeting with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele told her he was going to double the size of the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), three officials told ABC News.

This comes as the U.S. has sent at least 200 migrants to the prison, saying they are members of gangs and violent offenders.

-ABC News’ Luke Barr and Aicha Elhammar

Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, joined the White House press briefing on Wednesday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt introduced her after defending the administration's stance on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an unrelated immigration case.

Morin emotionally discussed the brutal murder of her daughter, a 37-year-old mother of five who was killed while hiking on a Maryland trail in 2023. Victor Martinez-Hernandez, a migrant without legal status who had previously been deported, was found guilty earlier this week on counts of first-degree murder, first-degree rape and other charges.

"If you're a mother here in the room, can you imagine standing there alive, you're alive, someone comes and puts their hands into your chest and rips out your heart. That's what it feels like," she said.

As she left the room, reporters thanked her for being here and expressed their condolences for her loss.

"Please tell the truth," she told them. "Tell, like, how violent it really is. This is about protecting our children. It's more than just politics or votes or just anything. It's about national security, protecting Americans, protecting our children. Thank you."

A third top official at the Pentagon has been placed on administrative leave, two U.S. officials told ABC News on Wednesday.

Colin Carroll, the chief of staff for Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, was placed on administrative leave in relation to the Defense Department's leak investigation.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez